A person or persons not yet identified broke into and vandalized 10 marked police vehicles in two lots at the White House Police Department in the late hours of Dec. 19 or early morning hours of Dec. 20, WHPD Chief Gerald Herman confirmed Wednesday. Word of the incident circulated quietly for almost a week but no one would make a statement on the record until the Chief commented on the case.

The Chief would not provide details of the ongoing investigation other than to state that he had talked with the District Attorney and the DA had recommended that the department investigate the case. That statement was in response to a question as to whether the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was investigating the matter.

As to timing, Chief Herman would not state whether he believed it was in retaliation for his vocal support for stripping the constables of their law enforcement powers and abolishing the positions. The Sumner County Commission voted on second and final reading on the evening of Dec. 19 to strip constables of law enforcement powers. Then commissioners voted on the first of two readings on a second resolution to abolish the position of constable altogether. The County Clerk’s electronic voting machine time hack indicates that last vote was taken at 08:06 PM.

Herman spoke at the Dec. 19 meeting during public recognition. Herman had attended County Commission and committee meetings about constables since the issue first surfaced in the Emergency Services Committee Oct. 3. He had been quite vocal in his opposition.

When asked about the vote, Herman did note: “The timing of it was not good. The vote on the constables was the 19th and was coincidental.” He added, “We can’t say that was a direct cause.”

As to leads, Herman confirmed that WHPD does have surveillance cameras in the lots at the police department. “We do have surveillance of lots in our police department,” he stated.